Today's News

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, residents of Indian Land Fire District will have the opportunity to let Lancaster County Council know whether they want to pay an extra $75 each year for enhanced fire protection.
The fee would help Indian Land Volunteer Fire Department pay for permanent improvements and capital expenditures, including buildings, equipment, infrastructure, full-time firefighters and more.

It’s often said that the New Year is a time for new beginnings, an opportunity for fresh starts. Typically we vow to exercise more, eat less, spend a little less time at work, develop new skills or set some other worthy goal.
For South Carolina’s elected leaders, perhaps the New Year presents us an opportunity to step back, reflect on the true meaning of public service and evaluate how we can make our state a better place to live.

Mary Brown
For The Lancaster News
The welcome mat is now out at Johnny’s Pub & Grub on U.S. 521.
Their location has been used as a bar and grill for quite some time, but new owners Shelly Lavo and Noah Schueller are taking things in a new direction. As a bartender for 15 years, Lavo said she has a lot of ideas about what would make a great bar and grill.

Christopher Sardellicsardelli@thelancasternews.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Less than a week into his first term as U.S. Congressman, Mick Mulvaney participated in a joint conference call with hundreds of House members about security after the shooting of a Congresswoman last Saturday.

Reece Murphyrmurphy@thelancasternews.com
If there ever was a polar opposite of the snow that fell three weeks ago in Lancaster County, this week’s snow storm was it.
The former, much anticipated and brief, came the day after Christmas, settling postcard beautiful. The roads, for the most part, left unscathed and open.
Then there was this one, drab and gray, a snow event that started off lovely enough, but soon turned to sleet and freezing rain, leaving roads nearly impassible and slick as hockey rinks. The effects are still being felt.

Reece Murphyrmurphy@thelancasternews.com
INDIAN LAND – Just two days after Lancaster County Council approved first reading of the ordinance to establish the Indian Land Fire Protection District, you might think the Indian Land Action Council (ILAC) would be starting to relax their campaign.
Not so.
Instead, the group held another Q&A session on the subject at the Del Webb Library on Thursday night, this time drawing about 45 community members. That’s more than four times the number at its Q&A at the same location last month.

“Sir, please empty your pockets and step through the scanner.”
The U.S. Capitol policeman held out a bucket into which I quickly placed my watch, wedding ring, wallet and phone. My bag and coat took a trip through an X-ray machine and I spent quite a few minutes having my various forms of ID scrutinized.
With my hands outstretched, I was wanded with a metal detector and only then was I finally cleared to head into the Longworth Building, a large office structure sitting in the U.S. Capitol’s backyard.

Reece Murphyrmurphy@thelancasternews.com
The Lancaster County Forfeited Land Commission has agreed to move forward with a proposal by Charlotte-based real estate developers to purchase Indian Land’s troubled Edenmoor residential development.
The announcement came during a commission meeting Friday with representatives of Citizens Homes Inc. and Reilly Properties, a partnership interested in buying 222 Edenmoor parcels. The Edenmoor land became available for bid in early December.
In winning the bid, the companies beat out L Star of Raleigh.

Jesef Williamsjwilliams@thelancasternews.com
Seven people, including five Republicans, will seek the open District 16 state Senate seat, which was vacated last month by Mick Mulvaney.
Filing for the post ended Monday.
Greg Gregory, who served as the District 16 state senator from 1992 to 2007, decided last week to vie for the post once again. Brian Carnes and Rob McCoy are the two other Lancaster County Republicans running.
Fort Mill residents Wendy Petzel and Mike Short round out the field of Republicans.

Reece Murphyrmurphy@thelancasternews.com
Angelo Constantine, 74, said he could hardly believe what he was reading when he opened the letter he got Dec. 19 from the Social Security Administration.
There, on official letterhead, he said, was the bad news: “The state of South Carolina will no longer pay your Medicare medical insurance premium after December 2010. You must pay the premiums beginning January 2011.”